A fire burned roughly 28 acres along a ridge in Jamul on Wednesday, prompting several residents to evacuate as nearby homes were threatened.
All evacuation orders and warnings in the area surrounding the fire — except for the immediate burn zone, which did not include any homes — were lifted by 7 p.m.
Fire helicopters drop fire retardant near Steele Canyon Road. (Michael Ho / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
The fire was first reported on Star Acres Drive just north of state Route 94 around 2:10 p.m., Cal Fire officials said in a statement posted on X.
Around 4:10 p.m., Cal Fire Capt. Mike Cornette said the blaze’s forward progress was stopped. The fire was 40% contained by 6:30 p.m.
A temporary evacuation site was set up at Steele Canyon High School.
Firefighters actively working the fire line just north of Star Acres Lane, while a helicopter conducts a water drop. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Sheriff’s officials temporarily closed Steele Canyon Road between Vista Cielo and Willow Glen drives to through traffic, as well as Campo Road at Old Campo Road, according to online mapping.
Besides flames, fire crews also battled 91-degree afternoon heat with 40% relative humidity at the scene, National Weather Service meteorologists said.
Staff writer Gary Robbins contributed to this report.
Originally Published: July 9, 2025 at 3:00 PM PDT